Clothesline



W. F. CUSHING. CLOTHE SLINE. APPLICATIQN FILED lAN- 3. 1920.

1,360,189. Patented Nov- 23, 1920.

WILLIAM FERBIS CUSHING, 0F PEORIA, ILLINOIS.

oLor EsLmn.

Specification of Letters Patent. t t NO 192% Application filed January 3, 1920. Serial No. 349,282.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM Fnulns CUsi-rmo, citizen of the United States, re siding at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Clotheslines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved clothes line and has as one of its principal objects to provide a line wherein the necessity for the use of clothes pins in connec tion therewith will be eliminated.

The invention has as a further object to provide a line wherein, although ordinary clothes pins are not used, articles of wearing apparel may, nevertheless, be securely fastened upon the line. 7

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a clothes line which, as compared with an ordinary clothes line of equal length, will be adapted to accommodate a far greater number of articles thereon.

Dther and incidental objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my i1nproved clothes line showing a number of articles of wearing apparel secured thereon,

Fig. 2 is afragmentary plan view of the line,

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the clamping rings employed upon the line.

In carrying the invention into effect, my improved clothes line is formed of complemental strands 10. These strands are preferably of galvanized wire of suitable gage. As particularly shown in Fig. 2, the end portions of the strands are twisted together and are thus united so that the free intermediate portions of the strands extend in parallel relation normally lying one against the other. Coincident with the twisting together of the end portions of the strands, supporting rings 11 are secured to the ends of the line, the end portions of the strands being, incident to the bending thereof, passed through said rings for thus firmly connecting the rings to the line. As shown inFig. 1,the rings 11 may be engaged with.

suitable hooks upon a pair of clothes line posts for supporting the clothes line to tend taut between the posts. .Slidable longitudinally along the line is, a plurality of clamping rings 12. These rings are also preferably formed of suitable galvanized. wire of a gage corresponding to the gage of the strands of the clothes line and may be of any approved number. As shown in detail in Fig. 4, the rings are of elliptical configuration and are of a major internal diameter to snugly receive the strands of the clothes line therethrough so that the rings will thus normally hold. the strands lying one against the other. In order that the clamping rings may not become accidentally lost from the line the supporting rings 11 are of such size that the clamping rings cannot pass thereover.

In Fig. 1, I have conventionally shown a number of articles secured upon the line. In placing the articles upon the line, the clamp ing rings are preferably distributed at equal distances along the line when the strands of the line are separated and each article engaged over one of the strands to extend between the strands. Preferably, an article is thus placed between each pair of clamping rings and, as will be observed, by adjusting the rings along the line, the strands thereof will be drawn together for thus firmly binding the articles between the strands. The use of clothes pins is thus eliminated while, at the same time, the ar ticles will be securely held upon the line. As suggested at the left of Fig. 1, articles may, if desired, be engaged over both strands to extend between the strands. Thus, the present clothes line is, as compared with an ordinary line of equal length. adapted to hold a far greater number of articles thereon. .The strands oi the clothes line are, of course, preferably resilient, and the clamping rings 12, being formed of similar material, are also preferably re silient. This construction provides an an rangement whereby when the strands of the, line are flexed apart by the presence of the articles therebetwecn, the strands will, when the clamping rings are adjusted thereon for securing the articles in place, yieldably grip the articles. Furthermore, should the clamping rings become worn in such degree that said rings will not normally hold the strands of the line tightly together so as to grip a single thickness of thin fabric such as a handkerchief, the rings may be rotated on the line so that the short axes thereof will lie in a accordingly provide a highly effective construction for the purpose set forth and a clothes line which will, in practical use, prove highly convenient;

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is: v ,l. A clothes line including companion separate strands havingtheir intermediate portions straight and extending side by side, the end portions of said strands being tw1sted together and. at least one of the strands at each end of the line passed through a supporting ring to freely connect said rings with the line, and clamping rings receiving the strands therethrough and slidable along the strands, the supporting rings being 01 a size to prevent movement of the clamping rings thereover whereby to retain the clamping rings against accidental displacement.

In a clothes line the combination of companion strands extending side by side. clampingrings receiving the strands therethrough and slidahle along the strands from end to end thereof. and supporting rings for the line fastened to the ends of the strands and of a size to prevent movement of the clamping rings thereover whereby to retain the clamping rings against accidental displacement.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

WILLFAM FERRIS CUSHING. |];.S. I 

